


Centerfold

by basil_leaf



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe- No Supernatural, M/M, Mentions of Sex, No Sex, Porn Star Castiel, but no sex happens
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-21
Updated: 2017-11-30
Packaged: 2019-02-04 22:07:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12780567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/basil_leaf/pseuds/basil_leaf
Summary: Dean stumbles across an interview and photoshoot starring his high school crush (and younger brother’s friend) Castiel.  He decides he’s going to stop at nothing to get back in touch with the boy with the blue eyes who used to sit in front of him in homeroom.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is inspired by the J Gelis Band song "Centerfold," in which a dude finds his blue eyed high school crush in one of his porn magazines.

“SAAAAAAAAAM!!!!”

Dean’s shouting had Sam running through the house that the pair shared and bursting into his older brother’s bedroom only to throw his arm up to shield his eyes. “Dean! What the hell? Put some clothes on!”

Dean was sitting on his bed wearing nothing but his boxer briefs. There was a bottle of lotion sitting beside him on his nightstand and he had one of his favorite porn magazines in hand. It was clear what he had been about to do and that was not something that Sam ever wanted to see.

“Sam. Do you remember that guy from high school? The one in my homeroom senior year?” Dean’s voice was frantic and Sam couldn’t figure out where this line of questioning was going.

“Dean, there were a lot of people in your homeroom senior year,” Sam sighed, “and I doubt I even knew any of them. They all would have graduated with you and I didn’t even start high school until the next year.”

Dean rolled his eyes at Sam. “You knew this guy, I swear. You were in, like, mathletes with him or something; some nerdy after school club that had you at the high school. Blue eyes and super messy hair?”

That description finally clued Sam in on who his brother was talking about. “Oh! Cas? We did theater together. He was the lead in Oklahoma and one of the few high school kids who gave me the time of day. I didn’t know he was in your homeroom.” Cas was good people, Sam thought. He had taken Sam under his wing that year and the two had become friends, despite their age difference. “So… what about him?”

\---

_‘Today is the day. I’m going to do it. I’m just gonna man up and talk to him. He’s Sam’s nerdy friend for Christ’s sake, that should make this easy. Yeah, it’s easy. I got this. I’ve totally got this.’_

_Dean finished his mental pep talk and took a breath to ground himself before looking up from where his hands were fidgeting in his lap. Instead of seeing the blackboard like he had expected, Dean was met by a torso leaning over his desk. Dean jumped and let out a decidedly unmanly squeak before tearing his eyes away and seeking out the face that was hovering well within his personal space._

_Clear, blue eyes peered at him from beneath a shock of messy, dark hair. “Hello, Dean.” His voice was deep and gravelly, like he had smoked a pack a day since he was 10, even though Dean knew that he had never touched a cigarette in his life._

_“Jesus, Cas! When did you get here?” Dean snapped, immediately regretting his tone of voice. But the boy in front of him just smiled and turned around to listen to the morning announcements._

\---

“Yeah! Cas!” Dean replied. “You guys stayed in touch for a while, right? You talk to him lately?”

Sam frowned, wondering what Dean was getting at, and his forehead wrinkled in confusion. “Uh, a couple of weeks ago, I guess. Why?”

“Did he mention what he was up to these days?” Dean asked, confusing Sam even further.

“He’s a model,” Sam reminded his brother, “He’s been doing that since college… Why the sudden interest in Castiel?” Sam started inching his way toward the doorway, wanting to get back to what he had been doing before his brother had shouted now that he knew Dean wasn’t hurt or anything.

Dean ignored Sam’s question, pushing on with his own line of inquiry. “Right, right… So, why haven’t we seen him in anything? You know, like, seen his work or something?”

At this point, Sam was past confused and just plain frustrated with Dean. He decided to answer his brother’s question in the hopes that he got to his point sooner rather than later but he couldn’t resist pursing his lips and sassing Dean. “Probably because we get most of our clothes from the thrift store? Where you’ve practically made a game of scaring the hipsters away from the flannel shirts?”

“No!” Dean corrected, an excited gleam in his eye. “It’s because of this!” Dean thrust the copy of _Hot Rod Hotties_ that he was holding toward Sam. His thumb held it open to the center page, the beginning of a multi-page spread with the headline “Porn’s Most Eligible Bachelor: He’ll Grip You Tight And Raise You From Perdition” and there on the glossy, colored pages of the magazine was Castiel, or Jimmy Novak as the caption was calling him, in all his naked glory. Luckily, Cas was wearing a huge pair of angel wings, the black feathers artfully draped across his body to cover his crotch.

Sam’s eyes widened in surprise. Cas had come from a super religious family and the last place he would ever expect to see his friend was on the pages of one of Dean’s porn magazines. Sam’s eyes locked with Dean’s and he realized that his brother looked like a kid in a candy shop.

“Dude, you have to call him.” Dean’s eyes lit up as he spoke and Sam knew exactly what Dean was hoping for from this hypothetical phone call.

Sam shook his head. “No, no way, I am not calling my friend because you want to sleep with a porn star,” he admonished, his voice firm.

An argument ensued between the brothers. Dean practically resorted to begging while Sam vehemently denied his request. “Obviously, Cas doesn’t want to talk about this part of his life with e or he would have brought it up himself,” Sam reasoned.

Dean couldn’t really disagree with that sentiment but he still tried. “He had to know there was a chance you’d find out,” he snapped back at his brother, “and he obviously doesn’t mind talking about it if this interview is any indication.”

Their disagreement continued on for a few more minutes until Dean finally gave up. Sam walked away feeling victorious but vaguely suspicious at how suddenly Dean had stopped arguing. He was pretty certain Dean was up to something, or would be soon, but Sam didn’t want to stick and figure it out around while his brother was about to spend some alone time with his magazine. He made his way back to his own room, trying not to think too hard about Dean getting off to images of his friend.

Over the next few days, Dean was extra nice to Sam, even going so far as to make a salad for dinner one night. He would drop little things into conversation, like how he had learned that Cas liked jazz, and Sam figured his brother was trying to rack up favors in order to get him to call Castiel but Sam was steadfast in his resolve to not pry into his friend’s life.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean tries to get Castiel's phone number from Sam

The brothers were sitting in the living room on Saturday afternoon when it happened. Sam had just made himself some lunch and was reading while Dean was channel surfing.

“Hey, Sam, give me your phone for a minute?” Dean asked.

Sam looked at his brother and quirked an eyebrow. “Why?” he asked as he fished the device from his pocket, waiting for Dean’s answer before he handed it over.

“There’s a movie that I thought was supposed to be on but I can’t find it,” Dean replied smoothly. 

Sam wasn’t certain Dean was lying to him but he decided to ask a few more questions just to make sure. “Why can’t you just use the guide on the tv?” Clearly, that was the easiest option, unless Sam was missing something.

“I did, I didn’t see it. I think I’ve got the wrong day or something and I just want to check,” Dean reasoned.

His brother was talking to much, giving longer responses than he usually would to Sam’s questions. Something was definitely up. “Why can’t you just use your own phone to check?”

Dean sighed dramatically. “It’s up in my room. The battery was almost dead so it’s up there charging. Some new app or something that Benny suggested keeps draining it.” With that, Dean’s text tone went off.

Sam smiled smugly as Dean reached into his pocket and drew out his phone.

“Huh, would you look at that…” Dean was flustered. He was clearly unprepared for this turn of bad luck. “I guess I’ve got my phone right here.”

Sam rolled his eyes at his brother. “Dean, I’m not going to give you Castiel’s contact information and it’s going to take a lot more than that to steal it from me.”

Dean huffed in response, turning off the television and standing. He glared at Sam, though it was clear his anger was directed at himself more than towards his brother, before grabbing the sandwich from Sam’s plate and taking a giant bite. Dean threw the sandwich back onto the plate as he wrinkled his nose, obviously not expecting the filling to be veggies, and stalked out of the room, leaving Sam to shake with laughter as he picked up his book once more and settled in with his lunch.

The next few days went by without incident but Sam never let his guard down fully, always keeping his phone in his pocket or hidden away from his brother.

When Sam came out of the bathroom one morning just in time to see a frustrated Dean skulking away from his bedroom door, he decided to take some extra precautions. He entered his room and looked around, noticing a few things that were slightly mussed or out of place but, luckily, not the place where he had hidden his phone. Sam crossed to his dirty laundry and dug his phone from the pocket of yesterday’s jeans. He opened up the settings and tapped the screen a few times. He hadn’t wanted to resort to this - it was going to be obnoxious to deal with on a regular basis - but Sam knew Dean would eventually find his phone and, at this point, he was just as determined to protect Castiel’s information as Dean was to get it. It had become a point of pride for both brothers.

The change paid of the next day. Sam still hid his phone from Dean but he wasn’t quite as careful about it, now. He had tucked it under the book he had been reading in the living room while he went to make himself some lunch. When he got back, plate in hand, Dean had just cracked his passcode. 

“Come on, Sammy, your birthday? Really?” Dean scoffed to himself as he tapped the familiar looking icon to pull up Sam’s contacts. Sam watched his brother with amusement as Dean paused and looked down at the screen incredulously. “What the hell? Is this Cyrillic?” he mumbled.

Sam pushed off the door frame where he had been leaning with a laugh. “Actually, it’s Greek,” he explained, plucking the phone from his brother’s fingers and returning to his seat on the couch.

Dean looked at his brother scandalized. “How do you even use this? It’s in Greek! Nobody reads Greek!”

Sam set his plate on the coffee table in front of him. “Yeah, except Greeks. Oh, and Bobby, who taught me when you and dad would go off on your hunting trips and leave me behind.”

“You’ve known Greek since we were kids? How did I not know about this?”

Sam just laughed again, this time at the dumbstruck look on his brother’s face, as he pocketed his phone and started in on his lunch.

Dean locked himself in his room for the rest of the afternoon and Sam gave the space a wide berth, assuming he was spending some quality time with his favorite magazines or websites. When he finally emerged to make dinner, he had a look in his eye that made Sam nervous. He grilled up some nice steaks and even made one of Sam’s favorite sides, grilled broccoli, while he was out there. Sam was just pulling the fries out of the oven when Dean carried in the steaks and veggies. They sat down together, a rarity during the week but their regular routine on Sunday evenings, and dug into their meals.

“I’m heading into the city tomorrow, you need me to pick you up anything?” Dean asked, his voice nonchalant. 

Sam’s forehead scrunched in confusion as he finished chewing the bite he had just taken. “Don’t you have work tomorrow?” 

“I, uh, I… no… I…” Dean sputtered. He apparently hadn’t expected Sam to question him. “Uh, Bobby is sending me in to pick up some materials we need at the garage.”

Sam was not convinced but decided to play along. “No, I don’t think I need anything. I could come with you, if you wanted. I just wrapped up a case and there’s nothing I’ve got that can’t hold on for a day. It’s the best time for a day trip with my brother.” Sam smiled inwardly at Dean’s slightly panicked expression. His brother was trying to play it cool, he could tell, but he was failing spectacularly. He definitely had something up his sleeve. “We could make a day of it; it could be fun.”

“You don’t have to do that, Sammy,” Dean insisted. “We’ll make some plans for a Saturday soon. Don’t waste your time off on me, save it for if you ever find yourself a girlfriend.” 

“Alright, if you’re sure,” Sam acquiesced.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has been cross posted from my tumblr @revwinchester. If you're enjoying the story, let me know with a comment or a kudos!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean tries one last time to get Castiel's phone number

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If one of these scenes seems familiar, it's because it is. I looked at a transcript of episode 4.18 and adjusted one of the scenes to fit this story. Also, maybe wait to look up episode 4.18 until after you've read because it might give it away if you look it up now...
> 
> Many thanks to my dearest Night Sloth who reads all of my stuff and assures me it's decent before I share it all with you!

The next morning, Sam got ready for work and left, parking his car just out of sight and waiting for Dean to leave the house.  He had decided to follow Dean to the city, despite his brother’s instance, so he had taken the day off of work but he had to keep up appearances if he was going to tail his brother.  Not too long after he had left, Sam watched Dean’s car drive by his hiding place and he pulled out to follow.  

 

As Dean drove into the city, Sam rode behind him staying back just far enough that his brother wouldn’t notice him but close enough that he wouldn’t lose sight of the Impala.  Once they got into the city, Sam was surprised that Dean drove toward the business district, eventually pulling into a parking garage.  Sam parked his car quickly, making it down to the sidewalk in time to see Dean duck into a building across the street.

 

By the time Sam got inside, Dean was no longer in the lobby but a quick scan of the building’s directory gave Sam an idea as to where his brother had gone.   _ Hot Rod Hotties _ had offices on the building’s fourth floor.  Sam elected to take the stairs, figuring he could hide his entrance better than he could on the elevator, and made his way up, his long legs taking the steps two at a time.  When he arrived on the fourth floor, he emerged into the small lobby for the magazine’s offices.  He couldn’t see Dean but he could hear him and Sam smiled at the receptionist.  

 

To his surprise, she waved him back toward the offices.  Sam didn’t question his luck and followed Dean’s voice, stopping just outside of an open office door to listen.  

 

“So, you book the talent for the magazine?  You made that interview with Jimmy Novak a reality?” he heard Dean ask.  

 

A woman answered.  “Yeah, Gosh, Jimmy… He never really gets the attention he deserves.  All anybody wants to watch anymore is that free hard core stuff, you know?  They don’t care about the story.  It’s all two minute videos like, ‘Red Headed Bimbo Gets The Pounding She Deserves.’  How do you get anything done in two minutes?” she scoffed.  “Please…”  Sam could practically hear her eyes rolling.

 

Sam heard Dean huff.  “I know, it’s just so… there’s no story there,” he agreed.  

 

Sam held in a snicker.  He could only imagine Dean’s inner turmoil.  His brother loved those short snippets just as much, if not more, than the longer films he’d downloaded but, clearly, sharing that wasn’t going to win him any favors here.

 

“I’m really hoping that my dissertation can shine a light on storytelling in pornography, bring some attention to an under appreciated art form,” Dean continued.

 

The woman in the office practically squealed.  “It really is under appreciated.  Thank you!  I mean, the best parts are between the sex!  Like, in  _ Stuck In The Middle _ , where Jimmy Novak’s character thought he was going to die… he was on the verge of tears as he professed his love to his best friend and it felt so real…” her voice trailed off and Sam was almost positive he heard her sniffle.  “I mean, no offense, but how often do men actually act like that, really let it all out?”

 

“The orgy that followed really drove that feeling of love home,” Dean joked.  

 

Sam could practically envision the forced grin on his brother’s face and, apparently, the woman in the office didn’t miss it, either.

 

“Is that supposed to be funny? How do I know you’re legit?” 

 

Sam imagined her getting up in Dean’s face, maybe poking a finger into his chest.

 

“Lady, this whole thing is funny,” Dean replied, digging his hole even deeper, but then he added, “Look, I’m legit.  This isn’t some smart ass paper that’s going to make fun of the industry.  I promise you.”

 

The woman considered Dean for a moment.  “I’m a sucker for a pretty face… what do you need?”

 

“Well, we were talking about Jimmy Novak, How can I get in touch with him?” Dean asked, almost too quickly.

 

“Oh, um, no…” The woman sputtered, “no, Sorry.  I can’t do that.”

 

“Oh, come on,” Dean pled, “I’m a big fan…”

 

The office was quiet for a few moments, only a rustling sound coming from inside.  Sam wasn’t sure what was going on in there but he was positive that he didn’t care to find out.  After a couple of minutes, Sam decided it was time for him to go.  Dean could be coming out of that office at any minute and Sam did not want to be there when that happened.  

 

He made his way down to the main lobby, the receptionist on the fourth floor mumbling something about how hot the talent was as he passed.  Sam did his best to blend in while he waited for his brother to come down and exit the building.  It was another few minutes before Dean did - with a giddy look on his face - and Sam followed him out the door.

 

Something had gone well in that office, Sam mused as he followed his brother down the street and away from the garage where they had parked their cars.  Luckily for Sam, whatever it was had given Dean tunnel vision of a sorts so he didn’t realize that he was being followed through the streets. 

 

Dean turned into a park about two blocks from the office and Sam continued to trail him.  He was back far enough to change his course and creep up behind his brother when Dean sat on a park bench.  He watched as Dean pulled his phone from his pocket and punched in a phone number that had been written on a sheet of paper Sam hadn’t noticed while it was clutched in his brother’s hand.

 

As Dean pressed the phone to his ear, Sam quietly moved closer to him so that he could hear his brother’s phone call.  

 

After a couple of seconds, Dean’s shoulders tensed.  “Um… I…” His words were stilted and cut off and after a couple seconds of floundering, Dean pulled his phone away and slammed his thumb onto the red button that ended his call.  “Shit…” he muttered and Sam couldn’t hold his laughter back.

 

Snickering, Sam made his presence known to his brother, plopping down next to him on the bench.  “You finally got his number, didn’t you?” he asked, “And you couldn’t even talk to the guy!”  

 

Dean looked at his brother in shock, surprised that he was even there in this moment of spectacular failure.  “What? How? What… are you doing here?”

 

Sam’s laughter doubled at his brother’s confusion and it increased again when Dean scowled at him.  Sam forced himself to get under control so that he could answer.  “You were being super cagey last night.  I knew you weren’t in the city to pick something up for Bobby so I followed you.  You weaseled your way into getting Castiel’s number, right?”

 

Dean tried to summon up some bravado but he knew Sam had heard his phone call.  He hung his head as he replied.  “Yeah, I got his number from the magazine’s offices in town.  And then I totally messed up when I called him,” Dean mumbled.  He sighed deeply and added, “But I guess you know all of that if you’ve been following me.”

 

Sam sobered up at the defeated tone of his brother’s voice.  He sat beside his brother, trying to find the words that would comfort him without sending him into retreat mode at the indication that feelings might be on the table for discussion.  When that failed him, Sam tried anyway.  “Look, I know I’ve given you a hard time about this but, I mean, there are a lot of guys out there, Dean.  Don’t let this get to you.”

 

Dean chuckled darkly.  “Sure, Sammy, there are plenty of fish in the sea.  It’s not like I haven’t had a crush on this particular fish since high school, or anything.”

 

Sam didn’t have a response to that so he sat quietly with Dean for a few minutes.  “Let’s not waste the day, why don’t we head to the record store or something, at least, maybe grab dinner before we head back,” he offered.

 

Dean smiled up at him and stood, waiting for Sam to join him on his feet.  

 

Sam knew Dean could spend hours in this particular shop and he wasn’t surprised at all that his brother had made a beeline for the classic rock section.  As Dean began leafing through the boxes of old records, Sam could see that his brother already seemed to be feeling a little better.  They both knew that the distraction was only a temporary fix - a bandaid, so to speak - but it worked for now.  And when Dean wandered into the jazz section, Sam kept his mouth shut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has been crossposted from my tumblr @revwinchester. If you're enjoying the story, leave a comment or a kudos and let me know!!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel finally appears! And he has dinner with... his friend Sam.
> 
> I swear, this is a Destiel fic... we're getting there, friends!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is based on the J Gelis Band song "Centerfold"

Over the next few weeks, it seemed to Sam that Dean was back to himself and his regular schedule, all thoughts of Cas pushed from his mind.

So, when Cas texted the younger Winchester one Friday to tell him he’d be in town, he didn’t think much of it. The pair set up a dinner and, just to be on the safe side, Sam didn’t tell his brother. He often stayed at the office late, working on some case or another, so he knew Dean wouldn’t think twice about his absence. 

As Sam and Cas caught up over an appetizer, Sam contemplated telling the man that he knew what kind of modeling he had been doing. The right moment never seemed to present itself, though, and ‘Hey, Cas, how’s the porn industry been treating you?’ felt way too abrupt.

Their meals arrived and Castiel’s entire demeanor shifted as he cut into his steak. “I hope you don’t mind, but I have an ulterior motive for this dinner,” Cas confessed. “I am in need of some legal advice.”

Sam leaned forward, going into “lawyer mode” as Dean liked to call it. “Sure Cas, what’s up?”

Cas took a deep breath and confided, “I think I have a stalker; it’s part of why I came back here this time. I’ve been getting weird phone calls for the last month. It’s always the same number at about the same time each day and there’s always a person on the other end but they never talk, not really anyway.” The words were pouring out of Castiel’s mouth and he couldn’t have stopped now if he had wanted to. “I’ve been zealous in keeping my professional life and my private life separate but all of the calls are coming from Kansas to my work phone. There have always been some weird fans of my work but nothing that raised any red flags before. 

“Only one of my brothers knows that number and he swears that it’s not him and he hasn’t given it to anyone or talked about the, uh, finer points of my career with anyone.” Cas paused and took a deep breath, looking his friend in the eye, “Sam, I work in the porn industry. On camera. I’ve made a name for myself on screen. It’s not something that I’m ashamed about but I know that the majority of my family would not be able to handle that knowledge so you and my brother Gabriel are the only ones from my Kansas life that know this.”

Sam let Cas get everything out with what he hoped was a supportive look on his face. When his friend finally stopped talking, Sam held his gaze. “I already know, Cas,” Sam admitted, “and I think I have an idea about who your stalker is.”

Castiel’s eyes went wide with surprise but Sam didn’t find any embarrassment in them or in his voice when he spoke.

“How?”

Sam wasn’t sure if Cas was asking how Sam knew about his career or how he already might know who his stalker was but the answer was essentially the same. “Dean, my brother, he came across your spread in, uh, Hot Rod Hotties and he recognized you from high school.” Sam noticed a small smile on his friend’s face at the mention of his brother. Deciding to use this to his advantage and hoping to get Dean out of some of the trouble he could - deservedly - end up in, he leaned in conspiratorially, knowing his brother would kill him for what he was about to share. “He was really excited to come across the interview, Cas. I’m pretty sure he had a crush on you in high school and seeing you in one of his magazines rekindled some of that.”

Sam braced himself before he told Cas the rest of the story. How Dean had pestered Sam for his number for a few weeks before trying something more drastic and how he had followed his brother into the city and listened in while Dean had managed to sweet talk his way into getting Castiel’s phone number from the magazine. Sam was glad when Cas laughed at the part where the receptionist had mistaken him for a model but he steeled himself for the end of the tale. Sam confessed that he had overheard Dean’s first call to Cas.

“I should have told you right then, Cas, but he floundered so much and then never brought it up again so I assumed it was over.” Sam looked down at the table, staring at his meal. “I’m sorry.” Sam fidgeted for a moment, feeling uncomfortable with the silence that lingered between him and his friend. When his eyes returned to Castiel’s, though, Sam found that the man had an incredulous look on his face.

“Dean had a crush on me in high school?” Cas asked, his voice full of awe and disbelief.

If that was where Cas was going to focus his attention, instead of on Dean’s creepy behavior, Sam wasn’t going to stop him. “Yeah,” Sam confirmed. “I mean, he wasn’t out yet and he never really talked to his kid brother about it but he’s always been awkward with the guys he’s liked. With the girls, he can be super cool and smooth but the guys get him flustered. I remember the stories you used to tell me about how he’d act towards you and they fit his M.O., I just didn’t realize it as a kid.”

Cas sighed. “I was practically in love with your brother,” he shared. “My first film… The script was great, or as great as it gets in porn, but one of the reasons I signed on to Lazarus Rising was because the lead reminded me of Dean.” Cas was blushing and, if he was being honest, Sam was too, but for a completely different reason. 

The conversation had not gone where Sam had been expecting and, while Sam had no issues with knowing his friend was working in porn, he didn’t care to imagine Dean - or someone who looked like Dean - having sex. Sam turned the conversation back to a topic that was both safer and more volatile all at once. “Cas, let me see the call log on your phone? I want to make sure that it was Dean who was calling you.”

Cas fished his phone from his pocket and held it up so that the facial recognition software would unlock it. He tapped the screen a few times and then passed the device across to Sam. 

Sam scrolled through Castiel’s incoming calls. Every day right around 5:15 there was a call from a number that was nearly as familiar as Sam’s own. It was Dean, alright, and he seemed to be calling Cas while he was on his way home from the garage. As he looked at his brother’s number repeated daily in Castiel’s call log, Sam began to form a plan.

“Do you want to get back in touch with Dean?” Sam asked. He knew the answer already but needed to hear Cas say it. His friend agreed readily and Sam continued, “I think you need to mess with him a little first, to get him back for freaking you out with all of his calls.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has been crossposted from my tumblr @revwinchester. If you're enjoying it, please leave a comment or a kudos! They let me know you like what I'm doing!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Cas finally meet! Dean helps Cas out with some car trouble and Cas tells Dean about his stalker. I wonder how that's going to go over...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hokey smokes! This is the second to last part, y'all!

Dean was on his way home from the garage, giving himself a pep talk as he drove. “You can do this. Just man up and say ‘hello.’ It’s two damn syllables, it should be easy. You’ve got this.” Dean’s thumb, which had been hovering over the call button on his phone, touched down on the screen and he pressed the device to his ear. The phone rang twice, like it usually did, and then Castiel’s voice sounded through the earpiece.

“Hello?”

Dean opened his mouth to speak but, once again, he found himself tongue tied.

“Who the hell is this?” Cas asked his voice sounding angry, “Why do you keep calling?”

They were questions Castiel had asked before but Dean had never been able to answer out loud. Dean pulled his phone from his ear and hung up quickly, tossing it onto the seat next to him with frustration. He muttered to himself, berating his failure as he wondered what Cas thought of all of these phone calls. “Probably nothing good,” Dean mumbled into the quiet of the car.

Another mile or so down the road, there was a car stopped on the side of the road, its four way flashing lights turned on. Dean, needing a win, decided to stop and see if he could help out. He pulled over behind the vaguely familiar Lincoln Continental, though he couldn’t place why he recognized the car. It wasn’t one that he’d worked on at the garage recently, at least. Someone was leaning into the trunk, looking for something and as Dean got out of his Impala, he could see what the trouble was. The rear passenger tire was completely flat.

“You need a hand?” Dean called out as he approached.

The person at the trunk stood up and turned around. “I seem to have a flat tire. I’ve got a spare back here but no jack,” he explained.

Dean recognized him immediately. Cas. It was Cas. Here in Kansas. His gravelly voice sounded even deeper in person than over the phone. Dean pushed down his panic at being face to face with the object of his desire as best as he could. “What are you doing here, Cas?” Dean questioned, regretting his words and tone immediately.

“I’m sorry, do I know you?” Cas asked, a look of confusion on his face.

‘Shit,’ Dean thought, ‘I’ve already messed this up.’ “Yeah, uh, sorry. Dean Winchester, we went to high school together. I was just surprised to see you back in town.” Dean looked at Castiel’s car, something he could talk about without messing up, he hoped. “So, without a jack, it’s pretty much impossible to change your tire here. I work at Singer’s Auto. I can call the guys and get you towed and then give you a ride to wherever you were headed.” Dean hoped that he didn’t sound too eager.

Cas scoffed. “You don’t have to do that… Dean, right?” he replied. “I’ll figure something out. I’ve got AAA.”

Dean was already jogging back to his car for his phone. “At least let me call the guys to give you a tow,” he insisted. “You won’t get anything quicker with triple A and Singer’s is the best shop in town. The guys won’t over charge you or upsell you on work you don’t need.” He made the call before Cas could disagree. At least he’d have another chance to see the angel who had been haunting his dreams for the past month when Cas came to pick up his car the next day.

Dean turned, giving Cas the chance to tell him to hang up but, to his relief, he was met with a small smile and a “Thank you, Dean.” Once he hung up, he turned back to Cas.

“Benny is on his way. Here’s my card so you know where to find your car.” Dean handed Castiel a business card that proclaimed him manager of Singer’s Auto. “You sure I can’t give you a lift. You used to be good friends with my brother, Sam, and we were in homeroom together our senior year, I think,” Dean tried. He didn’t just think they had shared the start of their day, he knew that Cas had been there, always sitting in front of him, just out of reach, but he didn’t want to come on too strong. “I swear I’m not some creeper…” Dean’s voice trailed off as he realized that a creeper was exactly what he had been towards Cas over the past month.

Cas looked at him for a moment and chuckled at some private joke. “Sam’s brother… I remember you now,” Cas acquiesced. “I’m sure you’re not a creeper, as you put it, I just don’t want to inconvenience you, I’m sure you’ve got better things to do than drive an old acquaintance around.”

Dean kept himself from fidgeting, especially when Cas had said he wasn’t a creep. “It’s really not a big deal. Sam and I live together but he always works later than me,” he explained, “so there’s no one to miss me for the next couple of hours anyway.” Dean could see that he almost had Cas convinced so he amped up the charm. “Look, Cas, I honestly don’t mind and, if I’m being honest, most of my memories about you from high school involve me not being the most pleasant person that early in the morning… let me make it up to you and prove that I’m not a jerk after about 9 AM.”

Castiel smiled and nodded, “Alright, Dean, thank you.” He followed Dean over the Impala and climbed into the passenger seat.

Dean watched Cas out of the corner of his eye as the man took in his baby. He appreciated how Cas reverently ran his hands across the leather of the seat and Dean loved the look of joy on his face as his eyes roamed the car’s interior. Dean would be lying if he said he hadn’t imagined Cas sprawled out across the hood of his baby after seeing his shoot for _Hot Rod Hotties_ and he wanted to ask Cas what he was thinking as he drank in the car but those words wouldn’t come. Instead he asked, “So, where were you headed when your tire went flat?”

Cas jumped a little, as if Dean’s question pulled him out of a daydream. “Oh, right,” he said, “I was on my way to the police station, actually. I hope that’s not too far out of your way.”

Dean was surprised by Castiel’s answer and his breath hissed out between his teeth. “It’s not but, uh, why were you heading there? If you don’t mind me asking.” He started the car and pulled back onto the road, trusting that Benny would take good care of Castiel’s car.

Cas looked over at Dean, studying him as he drove. “I need to file a police report, it’s actually why I’m back in Kansas,” he shared. His voice was quiet but, to Dean’s relief, he didn’t seem afraid of whatever was bringing him to the police. “I stayed in California for work after college but over the last month, my modeling has earned me a stalker and all of the phone calls are coming from this area.”

Dean didn’t like the sound of that and he was suddenly glad he had found Cas on the side of the road rather than whoever was…

“Oh, shit…” Dean realized. It was him. He was the stalker. Luckily his words didn’t give him away and he was able to play it off as sympathy, rather than the recognition that it was. “Hey, you know what? The cops’ll be there all night,” Dean offered, attempting to change the subject and putting off his becoming the center of a police report. “Why don’t we grab something to eat before I take you over there. My treat.”

Cas was an easier sell than Dean had expected and, soon after, they were seated in a booth at the back of The Roadhouse with a couple of beers and food on the way. The pair caught up and got to know each other, Dean not wanting to waste the one night he’d probably ever get with Cas. They ate, drank, and laughed, Cas calling Dean out for some of his more asshole moments in high school and Dean apologizing by buying another round of beers. Between the way Castiel’s eyes glittered when he would smile and the deep, resonant sound of his voice as he told Dean stories about his life in California, the evening was only reinforcing the crush that Dean had managed to harbor for the past fifteen or so years.

Dean was having an amazing time and, though it would ruin things between him and Cas, he knew he had to come clean about the phone calls. He really didn’t want to bring them up but he took a deep breath and steeled himself for the conversation that would ruin everything.

“So, Cas, about your stalker…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has been crossposted from my tumblr @revwinchester. If you're enjoying the story, let me know with a comment or a kudos!!


	6. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean will never forget this particular trip to Las Vegas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it! It's the end of the ride for this particular fic. I hope you've enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it :)
> 
> Of note: You didn't miss a chapter, there's a time jump here.

The sights and sounds of Las Vegas were among Dean’s favorites.  He and Sam had been making yearly pilgrimages to Sin City since the winter after Sam’s 21st birthday but, lately, the trips had been more about business than pleasure.  Then again, business was pleasure when your partner was a porn star.

 

Dean was charming the pants off of anyone who was in the line for Castiel’s autograph, working the merchandise table and talking to the fans about the different items they could buy or sometimes just talking about Castiel’s work.  It had been an adjustment, at first, knowing that everyone Dean interacted with at a convention like this had seen his boyfriend naked and had watched him have sex with a bunch of other actors but once he had gotten over the initial shock of that, Dean found he enjoyed the events.  Specifically, he loved watching Castiel at these things.  

 

Cas, or really Jimmy, interacted with his fans with ease, snapping selfies and signing DVDs, posters, and the occasional dildo.  Most of the fans wanted to fawn over his work and some were brave enough to ask for a lewd pose in their photo.  A couple asked Cas about his partner.

 

Castiel had revealed in a recent interview that he had begun dating someone just after his spread in  _ Hot Rod Hotties _ and that now, two and a half years into their relationship, things were rather serious between them.  Cas had said that they weren’t someone in the porn industry but, besides that, he hadn’t shared any more info about the mystery partner but, of course, fans were curious.  “What’s their name?” and “Do they watch your movies?” were the two most common questions, though Cas only ever answered the latter, and no one ever gave the attractive merch guy a second glance.  No one besides Cas, that is.  Whenever he had a spare moment, he’d catch Dean’s eye and send a smile his way.

 

The pair had discussed going public with their relationship but Cas had suggested waiting until he retired from being on screen.  Dean didn’t need that kind of attention, he had reasoned.  “After all,” Cas had joked, “there are a lot of weirdos out there and not all stalkers get their happy ending.”  After he had finished scowling and pouting at Cas, Dean had agreed to wait.  He was still able to attend most events with Cas, since he ran the sales portion of his boyfriend’s booth, and he had learned that it was fairly common for the talent to travel with the same entourage from one convention to the next rather than having to train new people in each city.

 

As the day wrapped up, Dean began to put away the unsold merchandise.  He was organizing a stack of photos when he felt familiar arms wrap around his waist and a warm chest press against his back.  

 

“Don’t drool on the goods,” Cas laughed, “I know that Jimmy guy is pretty hot but you can’t sell the pictures if you’ve slobbered all over them.”

 

Dean spun around and out of Castiel’s grasp.  “You gotta be careful, someone could see, Cas,” Dean chastised but Cas just smiled and winked at him before he picked up a handful of DVDs and packed them away.  They cleaned up the rest of the booth in companionable silence and then made their way back to the hotel room they were sharing.  

 

Dean stashed the box while Cas headed into the bathroom.  The AVN Awards were that night and he was nominated for Best Actor for his work as two characters in  _ The Big Empty _ and for Male Performer of the Year.  He was predicted to with them both but, if everything went well, those two awards weren’t the only thing Cas would be celebrating.

 

Cas showered quickly, knowing that Dean would want to take one as well.  He got out of the stall and dried himself off before wrapping the towel around his waist and stepping back into the hotel room.  “The shower’s all yours,” he told Dean, who had situated himself on the bed and was flipping through the channels on the hotel’s tv.  Cas pulled his towel off and rummaged through his bag for a fresh pair of underwear.

 

“Nah, I’m good here,” Dean replied.  

 

Cas turned around and looked at Dean.  The man, who had clearly been staring at his ass, was not unapologetically raking his eyes over Castiel’s naked body.  Cas arched an eyebrow at him.  “Dean, go shower or you won’t have time.”

 

“I was enjoying the show,” Dean mumbled as Cas pulled his underwear up over his hips, covering his groin from his boyfriend’s view.  He rolled off of the bed and continued grumbling as he made his way into the bathroom, pulling the door shut and starting the water.

 

Cas finished getting dressed, putting on his favorite suit and shirt, opting for a blue tie that he knew brought out his eyes.  He finished tying the tie and tucked the little box he had been hiding all week into his jacket’s inner pocket just as the shower shut off.  Cas smiled at his reflection; he needed to look good tonight - at the very least, he’d likely be all over YouTube in a couple of hours.  

 

Dean came out of the bathroom surrounded by a puff of steam and crossed the room st stand behind Cas.  “You look gorgeous,” he assured the man who he had caught fidgeting with his tie, before pressing a kiss onto Castiel’s cheek and turning to his suitcase to find the beginnings of his outfit for the evening.  His towel was drooping and Dean let it fall, wiggling his ass when Cas let out a wolf whistle.

 

Once Dean was dressed, they made their way down to the awards ceremony.  They were brought to their seats by an usher but before they sat, Cas turned to Dean.  “Do you mind finding us some drinks?  I need to go and have a quick chat with my manager before the show.”

 

Dean smiled and winked before he headed back out of the theater and towards the open bar in the lobby.  

 

Cas watched him go before he tracked down someone who could get his message to the person running the camera crew during the show.  If he won both awards, he wanted the camera that would have been broadcasting his face onto the big screens in the room to stay put.  Once he was assured that the message would be relayed, Cas joined Dean back at their seats just as the lights dimmed for the show to begin.

 

Awards were given and speeches were made and, after about an hour, it was time for the first category in which Cas was nominated, Best Actor.

 

The awards weren’t being broadcasted on any television, but Cas knew that a couple of the major porn sites would be live streaming, so there were cameras in the room, one of which was pointed at him.  He smiled at the camera when the presenter said his name and then schooled his features into a gently anticipatory expression.  

 

“And the winner is…” The presenter opened the envelope.  “Jimmy Novak in  _ The Big Empty _ !”

 

Cas stood, as did all of the people around him.  He hugged a few of them, giving Dean an extra little squeeze, and then made his way to the stage.  

 

“Thank you, thank you so much.  There are so many people to thank… Thank you to the team behind  _ The Big Empty _ , especially my costars and Director Dick, Thank you to my manager and to Dean.”  Cas paused for a second and winked.  It was the first time he had named Dean, though he didn’t pontificate on who Dean was.  “I’m so excited to win this award, especially because it’s always fun to go out with a bang - pun intended - and I,” Cas paused again, waiting for the little bit of laughter to die down, “and I am announcing my retirement tonight.  I’ve got one more shoot scheduled and then I’ll be transitioning into the next phase of my career.  Thank you all, for this award, and for making the last 20 or so years amazing.”

 

Cas retreated back stage as the next presenter came to the microphone.  He cut the interviews short with the promise to sit down for a longer interview after the show ended, wanting to get back to Dean.  The retirement announcement had been a surprise for his boyfriend and Cas didn’t want to leave him wondering for too long.  As soon as he could, Cas sat down beside Dean again.  “Hi,” Cas whispered, a small smile on his face.  “Surprise!”

 

Dean surreptitiously grabbed Castiel’s hand.  “You’re doing this because it’s what you want, right?” he asked quietly, looking at Cas.  “Not because you think it’s what I want?”

 

“Yes, Dean,” Cas replied.  “While I won’t lie and tell you that you didn’t play a role in this decision, this is what I want.  I have a few ideas as to what might come next for me and we can talk about them soon.  The one thing I need to know now, though, is if you still want to be open about our relationship with the porn world now.  If I win the next one, can I thank my partner?”

 

Dean squeezed Castiel’s hand and brought it up to his lips.  “That would be perfect, Cas.”  

 

The pair settled back into the seats, Dean still holding his boyfriend’s hand as the awards progressed.  As the night went on, Dean noticed that Cas was starting to get more and more nervous.  It was odd.  This wasn’t the first time he had been up for awards and he had never gotten this riled up over it before.  Dean did what he could to calm Cas and quietly reassure him but by the time the presenter was announcing the nominees for Male Performer of the Year, Cas was practically buzzing with nervous excitement.  

 

“And the AVN for Male Performer of the Year goes to… Jimmy Novak!”

 

Cas rose from his seat again.  This time, he didn’t hug anyone before Dean.  He pulled his boyfriend in and held him tightly.  “I love you,” he whispered, kissing him before making his way to the stage.  

 

“Thank you, this is truly an honor.  I don’t know if it’s possible to top my last speech, but I’m certainly going to try,” Cas laughed.  He took a deep breath and centered himself, allowing himself to be Castiel for one of the first times ever in the presence of his colleagues.  “There are so many people to thank and I promise I’ll call you all tomorrow.  Right now, I want to use my time to say this: Dean, I love you.  The past two and a half years have been among the best in my life and I am so glad that your brother and I let the air out of my tire in an attempt to orchestrate our meeting and that you took me to dinner instead of to the police station… We always said that we would share our relationship with the porn world once I retired so I can’t think of a better time to do this.”  Cas reached into his jacket and pulled out the box he had hidden there.  “Dean, will you do me the honor of marrying me?”

 

The crowd erupted into applause as Dean’s face was displayed on the large screens to the sides of the stage.  He looked shocked but then started laughing, one of his hands rubbing his eyes and then swiping down his face before he nodded and Cas saw, rather than heard, him say “Yes.”

 

Cas left the stage, adopting his Jimmy persona for the final time as he went to meet the media for the interviews he had promised them earlier.  He was just as eager to get back to Dean and to his seat this time but he knew that playing nice and answering their questions would be the quickest way to do that.  

 

Cas made it back to his seat just in time for the final award of the night but neither he nor Dean would be able to recall who had won that prize because as soon as he was seated, Dean pulled Cas in and kissed him soundly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has been crossposted from my tumblr @revwinchester. If you've enjoyed the story, leave a comment or a kudos to let me know! And check out some of my other work here and on tumblr!

**Author's Note:**

> This has been cross posted from my tumblr @revwinchester and was written for a challenge hosted by @thinkwritexpress-official. If you liked it, let me know with a comment or a kudos!


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